Dry spinning system



July 18, 1950 J. J. BURKE 2,515,393

- DRY SPINNING SYSTEM Filed Marc 1, 194.r

Patented July 18, 1950 PATENT OFFICE James I. "Burke, "Wilmington, Del., assignor to American Viscose Corporation, -Wiim1ngton,

iDelQ, a corporation of Delaware e liqati nina n 1945, Serial No. 580,360

16-Claims.

This invention relates to dry spin ning' methods and apparatus and is particularly Qoncerned on which they are wound, with-or withouttwist,

in package form, while the solvent-laden atmos: phere is continuously withdrawn :(from thespace in which collection is performed, is heated and is then passed through the chamber counts current to the direction :of passage of the .fila ments therethrough to exert anmevaporative effeet on the filaments and thereafter is directed ate :a solvent recovery :system.

The system offithe present invention provides an evaporative medium :that has a favorable influence upon the luster, toughness, and uniformitylof the filaments being spun while making use :of and recovering the-solvent vapors that emanate from the collected package that would otherwise contaminate the atmosphere. of the spinning room. Hereto fore, it has been-the practice to police the filaments in the open atmosphere of the spinning room with consequent contamination of this atmosphere with solvent vapors emanat ing from the packages. To remedy this situation by entirely removing the solvent from the filaments before they emerge from the spinning "chambers either by increasing the l'ength of the spinning chamber or by providing .dev'ic'es withiii-the chamberto increase the distance travelled by the filaments within a chamber of conventional size is generally impractical from the ;S tanclpoint of space required in the first instance and installation and maintenance expense in the latter instance.

By the improved system and arrangement of the present invention initial cost of installation ,and the negligible maintenance cost are fnily performed is preferably provided with \openahle sash doors to permit servicing of the take-Pup proyided, to allow air from the spinning room to ioe 'dra-wn into the space to sweep over the yarn packages and thereby assist evaporation of the solvent-therefrom. The solvent laden air from 5 'theenclosure is then directed to a system for feeding a heated evaponative atmosphere to a plurality of the spinning cells or "chambers comprising a dust filtena heater, and asupply manifold for feeding the spinning cells. "The 1501- vent-laden air may constitute substantially all of the evaporative atmosphere or any predetermined part of such atmosphere, in the latter case being combined with additional air from the Spinning room. i

The in ntion l h mo p t l l d scribed in wrelatic ln to the accompanying drawingslin which:

Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment in elevational cross-section taken on line I-I oil fig- ,ure 2; v

Fi ure ;2 s a back ele ion, w th a t i se ti an pan s brok n aw it of the mbodimen of Fi u 1 .v I

re 3 s a sectional elevation cor e nding 11 F r 1, but of a mod fica i and Figure 4 is a front elevation of a clet a il of the embodiment ef Eigure ,3. Y

Withreferenceto Figures ,1 andz, the jinvene ion is illus ated as ap lie t a row of spinning cells .or chambers 2. AA Spinheret ,3 inflan region of each ee llvissues the filaments down-- .wardly and they proceed about a roller guide and throngh opening ,5 at ,the base pt 1 the ,cell

cempletely about a draw roll 5, through a sta- 'tion'ary guide to .a collecting .device .8, which is shown .a cap twister, though any form take-no d v ce m y e used- A lu ica t may be applied to the filaments, eitherwithin the cell or a fter it emerges lfrom the ell by ,means not lois ow Th collecting devicesare encl sed by a p u al y of d o s .9 which may have trans.-

parent panes 50 (see Figure 41) to ,iacilitate oleservation. As shown in E igureslgl andz thefidoor i d e M a da ou e wi z 45 .nected by a :str and 3- to nema portion :Qf ,"the

tipperpan l (of e ch do r, pa s ng-over emit-Hey s cured-to iram wo k associatedwi-th th n. c ll H n s l e e isi d q 'obr i g h do rs- Wh open d ih sash o eie 30 the-dotted,linemosition hown in Figure 1.

e dist ib tin manifold 11 ex nds-the len th "entrance of air from the surrounding room.

and the suction conduit 26 connected with a fan;

or blower 2'! which discharges into the conduit 23 communicating with the channel l'l of the manifold. Heating means ;such as a coil 29 may be provided to raise the temperature of the evaporative medium, such as to about 100 C., passing through a conduit 28 and being supplied to the channel l7.

spinning cells under controlled conditions free of suspended foreign matter, such as dust, and irregularities of temperature distribution which would harmfully efiect spinning and decrease the efficiency of the recovery system. By controlling the air flow through the take-up enclosure, such as by the adjustable openings 35 and by controlling the dampers 22 and 24, the spinning conditions within the spinning cells can be varied widely to the extent that the proportion of evap- "orating medium recycled through channels I9 and duct with respect to the amount sent through passages I8 to the spinning cells depends upon .such controls.

It is to be understood that the description hereinabove is illustrative only and that changes Conduits are provided at spaced intervals).

whichare sloped with respect to the vertical. 'Inaddition'; abase panel 34 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings which maybe closed to a predetermined extent by slidable plates 36 operatingwithin the guide ways 3'? above and below the opening 35. Otherwise the system and arrangement of Figures 3 and 4 correspond to those of Figures 1 and 2. In operation, the plates 36, in the case of Figures 3 and 4, are adjustedto provide a predetermined opening at the various points along the bottom panel 34 whereas in Figures 1 and 2 reliance is placed upon the spaces between adjacent doors to allow If desired, adjustable openings may also be' provided in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 adjacent or in the bottom portion of the front panels of doors 9. The dampers 22 and 26 are adjusted to provide any predetermined proportion between the medium recycled through conduit 20 and the fresh air introduced at 23. This proportion, as above, may be controlled by closing damper 24 so that substantially all of the evap orative medium is derived from the enclosed space about the take-up or closing means. Alternatively, the'medium may be drawn equally from the atmosphere of the spinning room directly through conduit 23 and from the enclosed space about the take-up means through conduit 20. By adjusting'either dampers 22 or 24 to intermediate positions, any desired proportion between the solvent-laden atmosphere between the collecting means and fresh air may be obtained in the evaporative medium.

The medium drawn through the filter 25 by the blower 2! is heated to desired temperature by the coil 29 and flows through channel I! from which it is distributed to the bases of the individual spinning cells through the connections l8 and passes upwardly in each cell, countercurrent to the filaments to a point above the spinneret where it is discharged to the recovery system 33 by branches 3| and header 32. By introducing the solvent-laden air from the take-up enclosure into the return channel IQ of the manifold, it is subjected to filtering and to heating to assure that the evaporative medium used enters the and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of dry spinning artificial filaments comprising the step of extruding a solution of the spinning material in a volatile solvent longitudinallythrough a substantially enclosed evaporative zone, then passing the filaments containing residual solvent into a substantially separately enclosed space andcollecting them therein in wound package form, concurrently drawing solvent-laden air from the enclosed space, mixing it with a predetermined proportion of ambient air from the spinning room, heating the mixture to a predetermined temperature, passing a portion of the'heated mixture through substantially the entire length -of the evaporative zone countercurrently to the filaments, and continuously recycling a portion of the heated mixture to be mixed with a solvent-laden air prior to the heating of the latter.

2. A method of dry spinning artificial filaments comprising the steps of extruding a solution of the spinning material in a volatile solvent longitudinally through asubstantially enclosed evaporative zone, then passing the filaments con-- taining residual solvent'into a substantially separately enclosed space and collecting them therein in wound package form, concurrently drawing solvent-laden air from the enclosed space, mixing it with a predetermined proportion of ambient air from the spinning room, heating the mixture to a predetermined temperature, passing a portion of the heated mixture through substantially the entire length of the evaporative zone countercurrently to the filaments, and continuously recycling a portion of the heated mixture to be mixed with the solvent-laden air prior to the heating of the latter and then passing the mixture discharged from the evaporative zone to a solvent recovery system.

3. Apparatus for dry, spinning artificial filaments comprising a plurality of vertical spinning cells in a row, a spinneret in the upper region of each spinning cell, a manifold back of the spinning cells comprising a main feeding, channel and a return channel, conduits connecting the main feeding channel to the spinning cells adjacent their bottoms, take-up means for collecting the filaments in the form of a wound package along the front and outside of the spinning cells, means outside the spinning cell for feeding filaments from the cells to thetake-up meansymeans for substantially enclosing "the take-up and feeding means, spaced conduits-connecting the feeding and take-up means enclosure with the return channel of the manifold, blowing means having its suction side'connected with the return chana nel and its discharge side connected with the main channel of the manifold, and heating means arranged between the blowing means and the main channel.

4. Apparatus for dry spinning artificial filaments comprising a plurality of vertical spinning cells in a row, a spinneret in the upper region of each spinning cell, a manifold back of the spinning cells comprising a main feeding channel and a return channel, conduits connecting the main feeding channel to the spinning cells adjacent their bottoms, take-up means for collectin the filaments in the form of a wound package arranged in front and outside of the spinning cells, means outside the spinning cell for feeding filaments from the cells to the takeup means, means for substantially enclosing the take-up and feeding means, spaced conduits connecting the feeding and take-up means enclosure with the return channel of the manifold, blowing means having its suction side connected with the return channel and its discharge side connected with the main channel of the manifold, heating means arranged between the blowing means and the main channel, means for conducting air from the spinning room to the suction side of the blowing means, and means for controlling the proportions of fluid from the return channel and from the spinning room to be received by the blowing means.

5. Apparatus for dry spinning artificial filaments comprising a plurality of vertical spinning cells in a row, a spinneret in the upper region of each spinning cell, a manifold back of the spinning cells comprising a main feeding channel and a return channel, conduits connecting the main feeding channel to the spinning cells adjacent their bottoms, take-up means for collecting the filaments in the form of a wound package arranged in front and outside of the spinning cells, means outside the spinning cell for feeding filaments from the cells to the take-up means, means for substantially enclosing the take-up and feeding means, spaced conduits connecting the feeding and take-up means enclosure with the return channel of the manifold, blowing means having its suction side connected with the return channel and its discharge side connected with the main channel of the manifold, heating means arranged between the blowing means and the main channel, means for conducting air from the spinning room to the suction side of the blowing means, means for controlling the proportions of fluid from the return channel and from the spinning room to be received by the blowing means, solvent recovery means, and conduits connected to the solvent recovery means communicating" with the upper regions of the spinning cells whereby countercurrent flow of the evaporative medium with respect to the filaments is produced.

6. Apparatus for dry spinning artificial filaments comprising a plurality of vertical spinning cells in a row, a spinneret in the upper region of each spinning cell, a manifold back of the spinning cells comprising a main feeding channel and a return channel, conduits connecting the main feeding channel to the spinning cells adjacent their bottoms, take-up means for collecting the filaments in the form of a wound package arranged in front and outside of the spinning cells, means outside the spinning cell for feeding filaments from the cells to the take-up means, means for substantially enclosing the take-up and feeding means, spaced conduits connecting the feeding and take-up means enclosure with the return channel of the manifold, blowing means having its suction side connected with the return channel and its discharge side connected with the main channel of the manifold. heating means arranged between the blowing means and the main channel, means for conducting air from the spinning room to the suction side of the blowing means, means for controlling the proportions of fluid from the return channel and from the spinning room to be received by the blowing means, solvent recovery means, conduits connected to the solvent recovery means communicating with the upper region of the spinning cells whereby countercurrent flow of the evaporative medium with respect to the filaments is produced, and adjustable openings in the take-up means enclosure for controlling the flow of air from the spinning room through the enclosure. I

JAMES J. BURKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,541,104 Briggs et al June 9, 1925 2,210,161 Berne-Allen, Jr. Aug. 6, 1940 2,217,707 Samerdyke et al. Oct. 15, 1940 2,351,772 Lodge June 20, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 415,046 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1934 

